MockoTEF Reading Section D gives you four short French texts on the same broad topic and asks one question about each. Your job is to scan all four quickly and decide which text contains the answer. At A2 level the texts are a little longer than Section A, but the skill is the same: targeted scanning, not full reading.
What you’ll learn
- Use the question keyword to scan four texts efficiently without reading every word.
- Distinguish between texts that mention a topic and texts that actually answer the question.
- Recognise when a detail is present in the wrong context (the text mentions the word but not in relation to the question).
- Manage time by spending no more than one minute per item.
How Section D is structured
Section D typically presents four short texts: they might be four product descriptions, four classified ads, four short event listings, or four brief profiles of people or places. A series of questions follows, each asking you to identify which text (A, B, C, or D) contains a specific piece of information.
- Common text sets: four holiday accommodation ads, four job announcements, four descriptions of local events, four short product reviews.
- The question is usually phrased as: "Dans quel texte..." or "Quel annonce..." or "Lequel de ces documents...".
- The answer is always one specific text. Two texts may both mention the topic, but only one matches the question precisely.
Dans quel texte peut-on trouver un appartement acceptant les animaux de compagnie?
In which text can you find an apartment that accepts pets? You scan all four ads specifically for "animaux", "chiens", "chats", or "animaux de compagnie" rather than reading each ad in full.
The scanning routine
- 1Read the question and extract the ONE piece of information you need to find.
- 2Turn that information into one or two French keyword(s) you will scan for.
- 3Move your eye quickly down each text looking only for those keywords or their synonyms.
- 4When you spot a likely match, read the two or three surrounding words to confirm the context fits.
- 5If the keyword appears in more than one text, re-read the relevant line in each to find the precise match.
The false match trap
- A text might contain your keyword but in a different context. For example, one ad says "pas d'animaux" (no pets) while another says "animaux bienvenus" (pets welcome). The keyword "animaux" appears in both, but only one text gives the right answer.
- Always read the phrase around the keyword, not just the keyword itself.
Building keyword synonyms
The text will not always use the exact word from the question. You need to think of synonyms and related expressions. This is especially important at A2 level, where the texts are written in natural French and the questions are sometimes phrased more formally or simply.
- "gratuit" in the question: also look for "sans frais", "offert", "inclus dans le prix", "à titre gracieux".
- "enfants" in the question: also look for "les moins de 12 ans", "jeunes", "familles avec enfants".
- "parking" in the question: also look for "garage", "place de stationnement", "stationnement possible".
- "équipement de cuisine" in the question: also look for "cuisinière", "réfrigérateur", "micro-ondes", "cuisine équipée".
Le camping dispose d'une piscine chauffée ouverte de juin à septembre.
The campsite has a heated pool open from June to September. A question about "swimming" might use the word "nager" or "baignade", but the text uses "piscine". You need to connect them.
When two texts seem to match
Sometimes two texts appear to contain the right answer. This is intentional. The question is designed so that only one text matches all the conditions precisely. Check whether the question has a qualifier: a price limit, a specific day, a particular feature. One of the matching texts will fail that qualifier.
Precision checkers
- Price: "moins de 500 euros par mois" means one text offering 600 euros is out.
- Time: "disponible en juillet" means a rental only free in August is out.
- Condition: "pour deux personnes" means a studio for one person is out.
- Feature: "avec terrasse" means a flat with only a balcony may or may not qualify; re-read carefully.
How to practise this
The best preparation for Section D is regular scanning practice with grouped short texts. French classified-ad sites and tourist office listings are ideal: they are authentic, varied, and short.
Practice routine
- Find four short French classified ads (accommodation, jobs, or activities) on a website like leboncoin.fr or vivaticket.com.
- Write three questions about specific details, then answer them by scanning only.
- Time yourself: aim to answer each question in under 60 seconds across all four texts.
- Check your answers by rereading the relevant line. If you were wrong, identify whether you missed a keyword synonym or fell into a false match.
Key takeaways
- Extract the exact piece of information the question asks for before scanning.
- Scan with keyword synonyms in mind, not just the question word itself.
- A keyword appearing in a text does not guarantee it is the right answer: check the surrounding context.
- When two texts seem to match, look for a qualifier in the question that separates them.
- Practice with real grouped French documents (ads, listings, descriptions) to build scanning speed.
